Germany

Germany is a nation in west-central Europe. Since the ascension of Adolf Hitler to the office of chancellor in 1933, Germany has transformed into a militaristic dictatorship. Currently, Germany is a one-party totalitarian state, in which the ruling political party- the National Socialist German Worker's Party- controls virtually every aspect of public and private life. Nazi Germany's leadership often refer to the nation as the "Drittes Reich", or "Third Reich", meaning the "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", referencing the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire.

History
Germany ascended rapidly in political, military, and economic importance following its formation in 1871. In the Great War, it was the leader of the Central Powers until their capitulation to the Allied Powers in 1918. For a time, German democracy had some promise under the Weimar Republic, though the popular story that Germany had been "stabbed in the back"- betrayed by neglectful and greedy civilians on the home front, especially Jews- gained much traction and circulated widely.

Whatever semblance of order or hope for the future the Weimar Republic offered came to an end in 1929, with the collapse of the American stock market and the beginning of the worldwide Great Depression. The National Socialist German Worker's Party, once a fringe group with only a few seats in the Reichstag- Germany's parliament- steadily gained ground with their strong promise of change in the face of increasingly-bleak prospects for the country. In 1933, aging war hero President Paul von Hindenburg supported the ascent of the NSDAP's fierce and charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler, to the office of chancellor.

Soon after Hitler took office, Hindenburg died, leaving Hitler as the de-facto head of state of Germany. He acted with astonishing speed to consolidate his personal power and that of his party, abolishing the office of president and naming himself Fuehrer and Chancellor. Having effectively transformed himself overnight into a military dictator, Hitler ended even the pretense of war reparations payments to Britain and France, and began ignoring the Versailles Treaty- which, among other things, practically banned Germany from having a military- with increasing boldness.

While officially Germany's military operations are restricted to aiding Francisco Franco, leader of the Nationalist in the ongoing Spanish Civil War, there are unconfirmed reports of a link in between the Luftwaffe and Lucas Miles's sacred trust/black hats organization. Combined with implications that Nicolas von Essen and his organization, Die Spinne, have Hitler's tacit support if not outright approval, one is left wondering just how far Germany has its sights set- and how far Adolf Hitler will go if given the chance.

Government
Since the Nazi Party assumed direct control of the government in 1933, Germany has swiftly transformed into a strictly-ordered totalitarian state. The Reichstag, the government's legislative branch, was quickly reduced to little more than a group of "rubber-stamp men" whose sole purpose is to simply lend public legitimacy to laws the Nazis want passed.

Under the Nazi system, the Fuehrer (Leader) Adolf Hitler is the absolute apex of power and directs all branches of the government. All power is centralised in Hitler's person and his word is held above all laws. However, the government is not a strictly-coordinated, co-operating body (as Nazi propaganda proclaims), but a collection of factions struggling for power and Hitler's favour. In the midst of the Great Depression, the Nazis have restored economic stability and ended mass unemployment using heavy military spending and a mixed economy. Extensive public works have been undertaken, including the construction of Autobahnen (motorways)- an indication that Hitler has not allowed Germany's roads to fall into the disrepair that the former United States have, nor dismissed ground transport's importance. The return to economic stability has boosted the Nazi regime's popularity, solidifying the dominant status of the Nazi Party and the power of its dictator.

Militia

 * Luftwaffe- The powerful and modern air force of Germany
 * Waffen-SS- The Nazi Party's private army and Hitler's personal guard
 * Heer- The ground-based army
 * Kriegsmarine- Naval warfare force

International Relations

 * Japan- Germany and Japan have established a military alliance, and maintain good relations with one another. They aim to support one another's militaristic, expansionist goals if a war should come.
 * Italy- Led by Benito Mussolini, Italy is a close ally of Germany, and the Nazis based themselves partly on Mussolini's Fascist Party as they rose to power.
 * Spain- Germany has cultivated a relationship with the Nationalist side of the Spanish Civil War, sending military forces and logistical support to aid their leader, Francisco Franco, in achieving victory. If Franco emerges as the leader of a re-unified, fascist Spain, Hitler will have gained a third ally, with two of them close by in Europe.

Behind the Scenes

 * From what indications are given in canon, Germany has developed more or less exactly as it did in the 1930's, with the rise of the Nazi Party and the rapid re-arming and expansion of the German military being notable parallels. The primary difference appears to be the different aircraft designed, like the Piranha, and the existence of zeppelins within the Luftwaffe.